Go ahead - I'll wait.
/UPDATE
Not you, of course. Like me, you should only use your Powers for good.
But this guy shows you how easy it is for someone to hack your Linksys, and set it up so that you can't use it any more. It's a better video demonstration, but embedding is disabled, so you'll have to click through. Or you can watch this guy:
Both these guys use Linksys as an example, but it really doesn't matter which brand wireless router you have: Netgear and D-Link will be the same.
So how do you keep this from happening to you? It's actually pretty easy.
Step 1: Change the router's password. Both of these demos start by assuming that the router is a Linksys, and then using the password that ships from the Linksys factory. If you change this password, then the Bad Guys have to guess the new password, and you've made things enormously more difficult for them. Just choose a good password. On a Linksys, you do this via the Administration menu.
Step 2: Turn on Wireless Encyption. Once again, both of the demos relied on open (unsecured) wifi networks. Unsecured networks let any Tom, Dick, and Harry* connect to your network. If these guys couldn't connect, they couldn't change the password. Don't use WEP, since it's teh broken; WPA, while not great, should be OK for just about anyone who doesn't live next to evil H4X0r d00dz. On the Linksys, this is done by going to the Wireless menu, and then selecting the Wireless Security sub-menu. You'll need to enter a 10-digit numeric password (encryption key). I blanked mine out, not that you'd try to break into the secure facility that is the Borepatch Compound.
That's it. The YouTube videos won't work on you now. Well done, you.
That's it. The YouTube videos won't work on you now. Well done, you.Oh, and the most important part? Write down the router password and encryption key. There's a way to reset the router to the factory settings, but that defeats the whole purpose. While I may lose my Security Cred for saying this, I like to tape this information to the router itself. Look, anyone with physical access to your house doesn't need to hack your wifi, so the risk is pretty hard to see.
* Or Borepatch. While I was traveling last week, I had problems connecting to the (properly encrypted) network at my in-law's house. You might think that the neighbors had unsecured wifi; I couldn't possibly comment.
There's an even simpler way to protect your router from wireless hackers and leeches: Just don't use wireless. I found the wireless on my router so unreliable, dropping and reconnecting every few minutes, that I just turned it off and now stick with cable connections.
ReplyDeleteI just use MAC address filtering. Only MY computers are allowed to connect to my network. Plus I changed the password and am using encryption. My network is secure.
ReplyDeletehaters. not everyone can afford wifi. why would you go be a douche and password lock it or encrypt it when you know if people look hard enough they can hack it anyway. i hope i hack into your shit one day
ReplyDeleteLol for reals dude
DeleteFor realz yo....my best friend off many yrs locked his shit and now he thinks he's secure, it till someone gets in..then I will have last laugh!!! BWHAHAHA!!!
DeleteIn the state where I live, it is a FELONY to access anyone's WiFi. There was a case where a man in the parking lot of a restaurant that had free WiFi for customers was using their connection. The cops caught him, and the court ruled that since he was not a customer, he was guilty.
ReplyDeleteA felony. Keep that in mind.
If the restaurant had it for free y was he guilty
DeleteI highly disbelieve that! Its a felony to hack into a LOCKED wifi connection but not free, if its free its free, I work at a place that has free wifi people will walk up to a bench outside and not even come inside to purchase anything and use the wifi, and cops walk right by them. You my friend are either a liar or a complete idiot.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletea network is never secure
ReplyDeletecat is an idiot. when you share a network, all unencrypted traffic can be sniffed and inspected. just because you're too cheap to pay for an internet connection doesn't give you the right to go poking around in the business of others (even if they are foolish enough to leave their wifi wide open).
ReplyDelete@Divemedic: dude you are a great example of an American asshole, e.g. calling it a "felony" to capture and use some neighbor's wifi signal. Fuck you! God, what a dickhead you are, mr. war on wifi, eh. And by the way I'm American too. I hate fuckers like you--always all uptight and wanting to prosecute people for this and that.
ReplyDeleteDon't want your neighbors to jump on your wifi signal? Use a password. Don't care? Don't have one. Problem solved.
I mean, seriously: wifi is not a big deal anymore. You can go to the library, a local coffee shop--buy a coffee and use their wifi. But asshole Divemedic from (of course) Florida wants to put you in jail! I'm sorry but I can't get over what an asshole Divemedic is. And I sincerely hope he comes back to this thread and reads my criticism of him--and hopefull sees his assholeishness.
Let's face it: wifi is more and more commonplace as the technology improves. Just chill out, go to the local coffee shop which has wifi (to attract customers. Doh!). Surf and drink a cup of joe and enjoy.
Do we really need to get all fucking uptight about this? No, we don't. Like I said: don't want a neighbor piggy-backing on your wifi signal? Password protect it. Otherwise don't and be...erm....giving and cool--and share the internet with your neighbors. Sheesh.
An alternative. Turn off the SSID broadcast function. When neighbors search for a wifi source, yours will not appear. Only users who know the name of your network and manually log into it will have access.
ReplyDeleteNot perfect, but doesn't suffer speed delays of encrypted network.
great bro
ReplyDeleteThis video blowd You are calling this hacking when all you do is to access a wife with no key password protectinet? Tou are jucking. The lemest hacker ever!
ReplyDeleteSo I finally see the anonymous poster's comments about me.
ReplyDeletePointing out that the LAW (no me) says that accessing WiFi without permission is a felony makes me an asshole? I am not calling it a felony, the law is. and to tell the truth, it should be. It is stealing to use WiFi without permission. Someone is paying for internet access, and they get to control who uses it.
You are correct that many businesses (like coffee shops, etc) create a wi-fi hotspot, but they often restrict their network to certain terms of usage, including:
Restricting the time of day or the locations where the public internet may be accessed.
Limiting the amount of network bandwidth that may be used by an individual person.
Prohibiting inappropriate online activity, such as viewing or downloading illicit content.
Requiring the user to remain within a designated area within the business premises (i.e., you cannot sit in your car in the parking lot and use the wi-fi, even if the signal reaches you).
Some businesses require a person to patronize their business first before they can log on to the wi-fi network.
Violating these terms is theft. Some people claim that not encrypting your WiFi entitles them to use it, because it it your own fault for not locking it up. That is analogous to saying that a burglary victim is the one at fault for locking his door, or the rape victim is at fault for dressing provocatively.
Stop stealing, and buy your own internet service.
keep calm and continue worshipping your government bro.
DeleteLol
DeleteDivemedic, the reason I posted this is to help people lock their home systems down. Whether or not it should be a felony, using someone else's wifi is creepy.
ReplyDeleteTypically, it is not illegal to "borrow" someone's wifi. It IS illegal, however, to read through their transmissions or to spy on what they are doing. In my state at least, it's perfectly legal to guess someone's password and go to check your school email for a few minutes. Plus, most of the providing companies prepare for leechers of wifi. So unless you're a snoop, you're fine.
ReplyDeleteyeah...to stealing wifi signals of neighbours is so simple, but it falls in category of crime, i also write a detail post on ways to how to protect your wifi signals. u can check it on my website.
ReplyDeleteDivemedic, I agree with you. you shouldn't go and steal someone's wifi. you are practically stealing their money. I agree with you no matter what someone posts ( I don't think a******ishness is even a word).
ReplyDeleteThat was some funny stuff man!
ReplyDeletePersonal I don't care about they're info I just trying to have internet for my ps3 if we are so advanced in tech can't we just make it so we can't that we can't read the host personal shit and just make it so w
ReplyDeletehere just using the internet dumbass fuckin retard these days ¬_¬
Most uptight american people never like to share anything! But the guy above talking about felonies on Wifi is probably an outcast of society! For example, If I left my pen which is full of ink on my desk one night, and my Proffesor used it without my permission for an emergency. The next day, I wont accuse my professor of a felony for borrowing it without my permission. If I want to be an outcast of society because I don't like anyone touching my stuff; next time I'll secured my pen in a locker so noone will touch it!!! It's that easy! Loosen up a little so you can open up more to the world!!! I'm sorry, for being a little harsh, but It's makes me angry to hear someone be so excluded from the rest. Your issue has nothing to do with stealing Wifi, but it's an issue you have with society.
ReplyDeletefelony?? haha..best example for that is when someone stealed your laptop by leaving it unattended on a certain place..
ReplyDeletewhat a word!! its not the fault of anybody..if there is to blame, not the unwanter user but the host itself..c'mon..how pathetic you are you dumbass!
xXhAck34xX, I'm not telling people to do this, I'm telling people how to keep people from doing it to them.
ReplyDeleteI hope you clicked through to read the Unix Koan. Srlsy.
If my neighbor puts a bright security light on his garage and I use the light from it to walk around in my yard at night, am I stealing the light from him?
ReplyDeleteIf he doesn't want me to use it, he could put a shroud or reflector to leave me in the dark. If I trespass and remove the shroud, then I have damaged his property and have committed a crime.
If you don't put a proper password on your wi-fi, you're not leaving the door open, you're putting your belongings on the curb with a "take me!" sign on them.
Awl u uptight american white privilege old doods makes me laff.
ReplyDeleteWen i see a doods using someone's wifi wen there not invited, i go sit on there lap and use there computer too. "Hey dood let me check my email since ur computer isnt locked up you must be ok im usin it." I take drinks of there red bull. I sit in there car with them. They never complain cuz peoples usin other peoples wifi when there not invited don't mind me usin all there stuff too. im in there fridge eatn there sandwiches cuz they didnt try hard enoug to keep me out.
my prez says just cuz you bought it dont mean its urs.
/sarc
Wheetabix, LOL
ReplyDelete